Movie Review - Red One

My expectation was that this movie would rely on some well-trodden tropes to give the story a little scaffolding and then lean on antics between Chris Evans and Dwayne Johnson to make it work. Surprisingly, the story ends up about where you would expect, but it takes some unexpected routes to get there. Bonus, it delivers a really nice Christmas message without feeling preachy. That is a rare accomplishment these days when it feels like bad writing is the norm. I don't think this will become a Christmas favorite, but you could do worse.

Star Power

There's no question that Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans bring star power. They had a few nice scenes together. Nothing award winning, but good. But my favorite was JK Simmons. He was exactly what was needed for St. Nick. And as impressive as Dwayne Johnson's physique is, JK Simmons, for his age, might have him beat. For the record, Dwayne Johnson is currently 52, and JK Simmons is 69.

7:42●●● 95%

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The chemistry between Evans and Johnson is about what you would expect from characters who start out disliking each other. The story doesn't dwell long on keeping the two characters at each other's throats. Instead, they settle into a neutral disposition rather quickly. The writers could have taken more time to show the two coming together, but that's not really what the story is about. Each acts as a catalyst for the other to have their own insights, but the bond between them isn't the focus. Evans continues to show his range beyond his Captain America days, by playing an amoral character. Unfortunately, Johnson plays his rather iconic stoic character for most of the movie, but he does have a few scenes that give him an opportunity to show his acting depth.

Genre Blending

Red One successfully navigates the tricky waters of being both a Christmas movie and an action film. While other attempts at this combination often lean too heavily on one genre (Violent Night), this film maintains a careful balance that keeps both the holiday spirit and action elements feeling organic to the story.

Evil for Evil's sake

If there's a weak point, it's the villain. There's not much there as a character or motivation. But it's forgivable in this movie because it's not about the villain. And since the story has mythic elements, it's easy to lean on those to create a villain that isn't much more than a prop so that the story can happen.

Grade: B

Plot
After Santa Claus (code name: Red One) is kidnapped, the North Pole's Head of Security (Dwayne Johnson) must team up with the world's most infamous bounty hunter (Chris Evans) in a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to save Chr...